Thursday, August 2, 2012

Just a note to let people know that I have greatly scaled down the John Ludi site. I decided to just go with a free hosting package as I really don't see the point in paying to allow for free downloading of my music anymore. If I can find some free way of storing them online for easy download, I'll do it...but it's not high on my list of priorities right now. My last 4 albums are on my YouTube channel...and I'll probably put some of the other ones up there one of these days.

As for the fate of the Off-Grid John project...not sure. As the economic collapse seems to be always just around the corner and I need to think about making money while money still is the way we buy things in this wacky world of ours, I probably should start thinking about making some again. As the area where Tickville is located is not exactly a wellspring of economic opportunity, I am currently looking at Madison or SE MI for such (for very different reasons, respectively). I have proven to myself that I can live off-grid quite admirably if/when needed and I will be hanging onto the property as a "doomstead", but I MAY be looking at a different pre-collapse location (hanging in Tickville is always a cheap and relaxing alternative to trying to live a "normal" life, if I just want to continue that lifestyle).

Another factor is the strong desire to put a band together again. A small (but loud) one. A three-piece, probably. It's probably just the musicians version of a mid-life crises, but I want to scream into a microphone again with very loud sounds emanating from speakers all around me. I miss it...it was incredibly cathartic and I just can't do that acoustically. The Kickapoo Valley area is not a good place for such as it seems that a banjo has to be involved in one way or another, and that's just not how I roll...as much as I do like that particular instrument when played by people who actually know what they are doing.

So...to summarize...I am currently in a state of flux right now and I am trying to decide which tine of the fork in the road I should follow. Fortunately I have the flexibility to make such choices right now...unlike a lot of people I know who are caught in the vise-like grid of a rapidly-evaporating wealth pool and have few options. (Which is another factor: I can't really be of service to anyone if I go broke.)